Standing Before Him
by Chestnutlass
Summary: Sometimes love needs words. Words not written out, but spoken from the heart. Standing in church. What would she say to him?


She stood in front of their friends and family and could feel them staring at her. They were all wondering what she would say, what words they would hear from this woman known for being so reserved. Her eyes misty and threatening tears. She was shaking and looked like she wanted to run. But the vision of him centered her, so she took a deep breath and began. She thought about the words she had so carefully written for today but instead knew that it would be better if she spoke from her heart. She focused her gaze on him and him alone. Her words were for no one else.

"I know today what love is. I know because you, in all your infinite patience, taught me.

You taught me about partnership first. About what it means to protect on another, to have the other's back. I trusted you with my life.

You then taught me about friendship about caring and compassion. About letting people in, and sharing joy and pain. I trusted you with my past.

You taught me about family about giving and taking, about allowing people to grant and request forgiveness. That families are something we must build. I trusted you with my future.

You taught me about love. About passion and tenderness. About finding the strength to be honest. Finding the strength to jump. I trusted you with my heart.

Believe it or not, you even taught me about faith. While I may never be one for organized religion I know that there is no scientific rationalization for you. That something bigger brought us together. I have to believe that Someone is watching us now. I trusted you with my hope.

They say that love creeps in. It is not a clap of thunder but a soft morning rain. At first you are not even sure if you actually feel it at all, until suddenly you realized that it is covering you, soaking into your skin. I didn't even realize my heart was slowly becoming yours until it was too late to build my usual walls.

Each day you showed me a little more about how much you cared, how much you knew about me, how you were never going to leave. You helped me see that running was never the answer. That some things are worth the risk. That love is _always_ worth the risk.

Strength took on new meaning. It wasn't about carrying on alone, never showing emotion, building walls of science and reason. Love is strength, the strength to help others, and more importantly the strength to let others help you.

I am a different woman than I was before we met. I look in the mirror and barely recognize myself. They say that is the measure of a man, the imprints he leaves on the heart of others. You signed your name claiming my heart long ago. I know my heart is yours; forever protected. Just as a piece of you is from this day forever with me.

Today I know what love is. Love is you Seeley Booth. My special agent. My partner, my friend, my one true love, my paladin-my defender of the faith. My rock. My angel.

She closed her eyes, and dropped her head, allowing the tears to fall down her face with dark streams of mascara. She felt a warm familiar presence at the small of her back telling her that he was there. With shaking hands she took back the flowers handed to her, a cheery mixture of white daisies and yellow daffodils tied with a blue satin ribbon. Her favorite flowers, something he knew about her. Though her eyes were closed she could feel him smiling.

The entire room was in tears, no one could ever deny the boundless love between this man and this woman.

She placed the bouquet atop the American flag in front of her, bending down to kiss the surface. A final goodbye to the man she loved. Her father hugged her tightly and guided his daughter back to the front pew. The family pew. Angela sat behind her, reached around her shoulders to pull her into a tight embrace. "It will be okay sweetie, someday you'll see."

"I know it will be okay. I will always miss him, but I will not break. I will always be strong, because I know he loved me."

Angela hugged her tighter, knowing that while the darkness of loss would not soon fade, that her friend would in fact survive, because she had finally found the courage to love and to live. He had taught her to let others in. Now she had so many loved ones, to rely on during this difficult time. Letting them help her because she knew that is what he would have wanted. She was capable of showing and receiving love. He had created a miracle;

He really had been an Angel.

Author's note: I know really really sappy, slightly twisted. What can I say? I was in one of those moods. I have been writing dark chapters for Booth and Brennan lately in both my multi chapter fanfics (although they will get happier I swear!) It isn't that I don't want them together, really! If you want to see my "fluffy side" check out "Baby Books" pure unadulterated saccharine fluff!


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